Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 45 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 134-128 in their first game this season without Chet Holmgren.

The Oklahoma City Thunder may be shorthanded along the frontline, but they are a team with incredible depth — and they have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He went off for a career-high 45 points plus nine assists to lift the Thunder past the visiting Clippers, 134-128.

That's when Gilgeous-Alexander hit a nasty stepback 3-pointer to give the Thunder a six-point lead with less than two minutes left. The 26-year-old scored a career-high points and received loud 'MVP' chants at the free-throw line. He'll need more performances like these with Holmgren out.